i have a 91 yj with a 350 chevy. also 35/12.50/15 tires. i want to put a detroit locker on the front. but my friend think's i'll be braking parts left and right. and thinks i should spend my money on a dana44 and a 14 bolt.
i was just wonding what you guys think.
i dont have two grand for a set of axles and new rims.
thanks

By the time you've built a Dana 30 to a point where it will only break most of the times you use it, you could have had a Dana 44.

The Dana 30 can survive 35's (for some amount of time anyway), it can survive a locker, and it can survive reasonable power. It cannot survive all three at once. A high pinion Dana 30 with one-piece axle shafts from the right Cherokee might do alright, provided you don't put a locker in it or go crazy on gears (the pinion gets TINY)

If you intend to keep with 35's, matched Dana 44's from a Wagoneer might be a good pick, and aren't terribly expensive.

If its offroad only and you really want the traction, why don't you just weld it? Sure you won't be able to steer as good, but with the money you save from a Detroit you could put towards a dana 44/60 or spare parts. Either way, if you lock it and it starts bouncing on the rocks, just let off the gas.

There is ZERO difference between a HP30 and a LP30 regarding the axle shafts and joints, they use the same parts.

this x2 + dana 44 has the same axle shaft yoke size and u joint as a 30 so there is no upgrade there either.

Not to say your 91 yj dana 30 can't get some upgrades from the newer dana 30, but saying that a 44 is the answer is not exactly right either.

To schomann's comment, the YJ's all had HP30's so no need to look into that.

The only difference would be the 91's (pre-95) had the smaller u-jounts (unless you somehow have an ABS version).

You can always upgrade to 1 pc shaft with 760 joints and be just as strong as a 44 in regards to the axle shafts. The pinion still comes into play though. I ran 4.56 for a while on a 95 Yj with warn cromo shafts and 760 joints with a detroit trutrac (not a real locker) without any major issues. I wasn't real easy on it either. Finally one day of foot too the floor trying to exit a mud hole and launching the front end about 3' in the air, the front pinion didn't like it. Coming down on WOT blew the ring and pinion. The shafts and u-joints held just fine.

Fast forward to installing a HP44 with mosor shafts and 760 joints 36 tsl. I blew at least 3 shafts due to WOT driving. I only had a 4.0 so its not as bad as what you are pushing to it. Point is a 44 and 30 are both about equal.

I am currently running a LP30 all stock with 3.73 and an ARB with a turbo 4.0L. So far so good. I keep the front open when going WOT and being stupid. I'm sure being open has saved a lot of $$$$ in parts.

I was running a SBC with stock yj axles for a year. Open front and limited slip rear. Never broke anything, just wheeled sensibly. Now have 44's under it. Front is locked with chromo shafts, and Spicer forged joints, hi-steer, with hydro assist. Rear is welded stock with disc brakes. Came with complete extra front chromo shafts and extra outer chromo stubs. All that for $700... That is the only reason I am running 44's or I would have waited for tons...

Unless you get a "Built Dana 44", you are likely wasting your money as they are marginally better in stock form than a Dana30... Save your money and buy a true 1 ton front.

I was running a SBC with stock yj axles for a year. Open front and limited slip rear. Never broke anything, just wheeled sensibly. Now have 44's under it. Front is locked with chromo shafts, and Spicer forged joints, hi-steer, with hydro assist. Rear is welded stock with disc brakes. Came with complete extra front chromo shafts and extra outer chromo stubs. All that for $700... That is the only reason I am running 44's or I would have waited for tons...

Unless you get a "Built Dana 44", you are likely wasting your money as they are marginally better in stock form than a Dana30... Save your money and buy a true 1 ton front.

My $0.02...

X2

Stock 44's are kind of a pointless axle. I'd either go built XJ HP 30 or coin up for a stock Dana 60.

And for the rear, you will hate a 14 bolt and 35's. The ground clearance will be worse than a dana 35 and stock tires. For 35's I'd run a 8.8 exploder rear and call it done. The 14 bolt is basically a plow with anything under 40 inches.

Stock 44's are kind of a pointless axle. I'd either go built XJ HP 30 or coin up for a stock Dana 60.

And for the rear, you will hate a 14 bolt and 35's. The ground clearance will be worse than a dana 35 and stock tires. For 35's I'd run a 8.8 exploder rear and call it done. The 14 bolt is basically a plow with anything under 40 inches.

X2
An 8.8 rear and Dana 60 front would be a good combo. Depending how you drive, the 30 could survive. Just make some upgrades if you are going to lock it.